Assembly jig for facilitating lock tumbler change-over operations



July 5, 1966 w. J. KERR ASSEMBLY J'IG FOR FACILITATING LOCK TUMBLERCHANGE-OVER OPERATIONS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 26, 1964 Z 2 m xww TRN WM R v o m T M M m L M W M ww W. J. KERR ASSEMBLY JIG FOR FACILITATINGLOCK TUMBLER Jul 5, 1966 CHANGE-OVER OPERATIONS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledJune 26, 1964 INVENTOR.

W/L L /AM J. KERR BY M 4-7- TnPA/FY July 5, 1966 w. J. KERR 3,258,944

ASSEMBLY JIG FOR FACILITATING LOCK TUMBLER CHANGE-OVER OPERATIONS FiledJune 26, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. W/LL/AM J- KERR United StatesPatent 3,258,944 ASSEMBLY JIG FOR FACILITATING 06K TUMBLER CHANGE-OVERQPERATIONS William J. Kerr, Glenview, Ill., assignor to Chicago LockCompany, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed June 26, 1964,Ser. No. 378,241 8 Claims. (Cl. 70-372) The present invention relates toan assembly jig for facilitating lock tumbler change-over operations andhas particular reference to such an assembly jig whereby the forwardshaft tumbler pins of a lock assembly of the type that embodies anannular series of split pin tumblers may be removed from the lockassembly en masse and a new series of replacement shaft tumbler pins maythen be installed in the lock assembly in order to effect a change inthe lock combination.

There has long been on the market a class of lock assemblies which arecommonly known as Ace locks and are manufactured by Chicago Lock Companyof Chicago, Illinois. An Ace lock is principally characterized by thefact that the lock shaft projects completely through the fixed lockbarrel and is provided with an enlarged head which is coaxial with thebarrel, there being in the barrel an annular series of axially slidablebarrel tumbler pins which cooperate with longitudinally aligned axiallyslidable shaft tumbler pins in the enlarged head in the usual manner ofend-to-end cooperation between barrel and shaft tumbler pins.invariably, an Ace type of lock is provided with a removable forwardlydisposed cap which conceals the forward shaft tumbler pins, but which,when removed, exposes the front ends of these tumbler pins so that thepins may be pulled axially forwardly from their respective bores andinterchanged or replaced by other shaft tumbler pins to change thecombination of the lock assembly. After the interchange or substitutionhas been effected, the cap is replaced and the original key is discardedin favor of a new key which is designed to fit the new look combination.

The assembly jig of the present invention has been designed specificallyfor use in connection with an axial pin tumbler lock of theaforementioned type and comprises two parts, namely, a coded packageunit containing a supply of new or replacement shaft tumbler pins, and acombined pin extraction and pusher unit. The coded package unit is inthe form of a generally cylindrical shell which is formed of moldedplastic or other inexpensive disposable material and in which the new orreplacement shaft tumbler pins are releasably held in the axialpositions which they will assume when installed in the lock assembly andcoded according to length to accommodate the selected new lookcombination. The combined pin extraction and pusher unit is in the formof an effective doubleended cylindrical tool, one end of which carries amagnet to withdraw the exposed original shaft tumbler pins from the lockassembly after removal of the cap at the front of the assembly, and theother end of which carries a plurality of pusher pins for dislodging thenew tumbler pins from the plastic shell of the coded package unit andpushing them endwise into the empty bores resulting from withdrawal ofthe original shaft tumbler pins by the magnet. Both the coded packageunit and the combined pin extraction and pusher unit or tool areprovided with various alignment means, useable first to secure properalignment of the package unit with the front portion of the lookassembly in such a manner that registration of the new shaft tumblerpins with the proper shaft bores will be assured preparatory to pushingof said new shaft tumbler pins to their home positions, and secondly, tosecure 3,258,944 Patented July 5, 1966 proper alignment of the tool withthe package unit in such a manner that pusher pin and shaft tumbler pinregistry will be assured to the end that the new shaft tumbler pins maythen be finally pushed axially to their home positions.

An assembly jig of this character will be found useful by a lockmanufacturers customer who, desiring to effect a change in thecombinations of a number of Ace type lock assemblies, may obtain fromthe manufacturer the necessary number of coded package units with newand different annular sets of shaft tumbler pins therein, together withone of the pin extraction and insertion units or tools, and convenientlymake the necessary changeover operations himself, discarding the emptyshells of the package units as the change-over operations are completed.

The provision of an assembly jig for lock assembly changeover operationsas briefly outlined above being among the principal objects of theinvention, it is another object to provide such an assembly jig whereinthe customer or other operator need not concern himself with specificshaft tumbler pin placement, the only duty incumbent upon him in makinga change-over operation of a particular lock assembly being to order bycode number a package unit containing a shaft tumbler pin combinationdiffering from that to be replaced, together with the proper replacementkey, after which the desired change-over operation may be put intoeffect without the operator even so much as touching any of the originalshaft tumbler pins or the new or replacement shaft tumbler pins.

It is another object of the invention to provide such an assembly jigwherein the package unit containing the new or replacement shaft tumblerpins is so designed that the pins that are associated therewith aresecurely held within the unit against dislodgment, their coded positionsbeing maintained at all times until the pins are ejected into a givenlock assembly by means of the pusher part of the aforementioned combinedpin extraction and pusher unit or tool. The unit may thus be subjectedto rough handling as a mailable package without danger of internal shafttumbler pin misplacement and consequent loss of coding.

Other objects and advantages of the invention, not at this timeenumerated, will become readily apparent as the nature of the inventionis better understood.

In the accompanying three sheets of drawings forming a part of thisspecification, one illustrative embodiment of the invention has beenshown.

In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary exploded front perspective view of an axial pintumbler lock assembly of the type that is capable of being serviced forchangeover operations by the assembly jig of the present invention, suchview showing the cap of the lock assembly in its removed position andillustrating the accessibility of the shaft tumbler pins for change-overfrom a first tumbler combination to a second tumbler combination;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view similar to FIG. 1 butillustrating the initial withdrawal of the shaft tumbler pins from thebores in the enlarged head of the shaft of the lock assembly by way ofthe magnet part of the combined pin extraction and pusher unit or toolof the assembly jig constituting the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view similar to FIGS. 1 and 2, butillustrating the manner in which the package unit containing the codedreplacement shaft tumbler pin combination is juxtapositioned withrespect to the partially dismantled lock assembly directly followingremoval of the original shaft tumbler pins from their respective facesin the enlarged head of the shaft and also the manner in which thepusher part of the combined extraction and pusher unit or tool isjuxtapositioned with respect to the package unit preparatory tosimultaneous ejection of the new coded shaft tumbler pin combinationfrom said package unit;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially centrally andlongitudinally through the lock assembly at the time the assembly jig isbrought into play to effect insertion of the new shaft tumbler'pins intothe bores in the enlarged head of the shaft of the lock assembly;

FIG. 5 is an end view of the magnet part of the combiner pin extractionand pusher unit or tool of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 6-6 ofFIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an end view of the pin pusher part of the combined tumbler pinextraction and pusher unit or tool of the assembly jig;

FIG. 8 is a front end elevational view of the package unit which forms apart of the assembly jig and contains coded new or replacement shafttumbler pin combination;

FIG. 9 is a rear end elevational view of the package unit of theassembly jig;

FIG.10 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 1010 ofFIG. 9 and showing one of the replacement shaft tumbler pins removed inorder to illustrate the action of a certain O-ring that is employed inconnection with the package unit of the assembly jig; and

FIG. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line11-11 of FIG. 10.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and in particular to FIG. 1,there is illustrated therein a lock assembly 10 which is of the axialpin tumbler type and is exemplary of a particular lock in which tumblerpin change-over operations may readily be accomplished by the use of theassembly jig of the present invention. The lock assembly 10 is of thetype that is shown and described in my copending United States patentapplication Serial No. 336,795, filed on January 9, 1964, and entitledQuick-Change Axial Pin Tumbler Lock Assembly. Only such detals of thelock assembly 10 as are pertinent to the present invention have beenillustrated in the drawings, but for a full undesrtanding of theoperation of the lock assembly, reference may be had to theafoermentioned copending application. Briefly, the lock assembly 10 isdesigned for use on a vending machine cabinet door where managerialpolicy dictates that frequent changes in the split pin tumblercombination be made. As shown in FIG. 4, the lock assembly 10 includes anon-rotatable lock barrel 12 which is projected through an opening 14 inthe cabinet door 16 and is held in position therein by a clamping nut 18on the rear side of the door. A rotatable lock shaft 20 projects axiallythrough the barrel 12 and carries at its rear end the usual radiallyextending locking cam 22 which is secured in place by a nut 24 on arearwardly extending screw-threaded stem 26 on the rear end of the lockshaft 20. The lock shaft 20 is provided with an enlarged head 28immediately forwardly of the barrel 12. The barrel 12 and the enlargedhead 28 are provided with the usual split pin tumbler arrangementincluding barrel tumbler pins 30 and shaft tumbler pins 32. Such pinsare arranged in two aligned annular series and are slidably disposed inrespective bores 31 and 33 in the barrel 12 and the enlarged head 28. Acircular protective washer 34 is provided forwardly of the cabinet door16 and is suitably connected to the front end of the barrel 12; and anannular cap 36 (see FIG. 1) is adapted to seat within the shallowforwardly facing recess 38 that is formed by the washer 34. The cap 36is provided with two oppositely disposed rearwardly extending hookportions 40 which latch behind arcuate shoulders 41 on the enlarged head28 of the shaft 20 and normally prevent removal of the cap. When inposition .within the recess 38, the cap prevents access to the shafttumbler pins and also prevents such pins from being ejected from theirrespective bores 33 by the usual helical compression springs which aremounted on the rear ends of the bores 31 for the barrel tumbler pins 30.When the cap 36 is removed from the protective washer 34 of the lockassembly, the shaft tumbler pins 32 are exposed as shown in FIG. 1 andthey may then be Withdrawn forwardly from the enlarged head 28 of thelock shaft. Said enlarged head 28 is provided with a forwardly extendingpilot stem or post 42 which is designed for reception thereover of asocket 44 in the front or tumbler-engaging end of a lock manipulatingkey, such, for example, as either of the keys 46 and 48 that are shownin FIG. 1. Either key is adapted to be projected through a centralopening 50 in the cap 36 and, when so projected, shoulders 52 on thefront end of the key cooperate with the front ends of the shaft tumblerpins 32 in the usual manner of key and tumbler cooperation.

The arrangement of parts thus far described constitutes no part of thepresent invention and represents merely an exemplary form of lockassembly having shaft tumbler pins which are capable of being exposed byremoval of the cap at the front end of the lock assembly and are adaptedto be replaced by means of the assembly jig which constitutes thepresent invention and will now he described in detail.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings, the assembly jig of thepresent invention consists of two independent parts or units, namely, acoded package unit 60 containing and including a series of replacementshaft tumbler pins 32A, and a combined tumbler pin extraction and pusherunit or tool 62. Briefly, the combined extraction and pusher unit 62 isin the form of a double-ended tool, one end of which carries a thin flatannular magnet 64 for attracting and withdrawing the shaft tumbler pins32 from the bores 33, and the other end of which carries an annularseries of pusher pins 66 for pushing the new or replacement shafttumbler pins 32A out of the package unit 60 and installing them in thebores 33 which are left empty by withdrawal of the original shafttumbler pins 32.

As best seen in FIG. 3 and FIGS. 8 to 11, inclusive, the package unit 60comprises a shell 70 which is of cylindrical cup-shaped design andembodies a generally cylindrical side wall 72 and a relatively thickannular rear end wall 74. Preferably, the shell is formed of moldedplastic material to the end that it may be discarded after it has servedits intended purpose. The upper region of the side wall 72 is upwardlyoffset as at 76 in order to form or establish an elongated, inwardlyfacing, longitudinally extending, spline-receiving channel 78 forcooperation with a spline 80 which is associated with and forms a partof the unit or tool 62 as will be described presently. The rear end wall74 of the shell 70 is formed with a central opening 82 (see FIG. 10)therein and the upper portion of the rim of this opening is providedwith an inwardly extending lug 84 which is designed for cooperation witha horizontal groove 86 in the key-centering pilot stem or post 42 at thefront end of the lock shaft 20 of the lock assembly 10.

The annular rear end wall 74 of the shell 70 is provided therein with anannular series of axially extending bores 88, each bore having disposedtherein one of the replacement shaft tumbler pins 32A. The inner end ofthe inner peripheral portion of the annular rear end wall 74 is formedor provided with a narrow, integral, reentrant or inwardly extendingflange around which there is stretched a resilient rubber O-ring 92. Thelatter is disposed for the most part in an annular groove which isdefined by the outer periphery of the flange 90 and the adjacent portionof the shell side wall 76. The bores 88 are aligned with, and passaxially through, the flange 90. The outer portions of the inner ends ofthe bores 88 intersect the outer periphery of the flange 90 and, hence,open onto the groove 94 as shown in FIGS. 9 and 11. The

pins outwards.

()-ring thus normally has a limited portion of its inner peripheryprojecting into the outer portion of the inner end of each bore 88 asshown at the top right-hand region of FIG. where one of the shaft pins32A has been removed in the interest of clarity. However, with the shaftpins 32A in position within the bores 88, the O-ring 92 is displaced bysuch pins as shown at the bottom righthand region of FIG. 10, and alsoin FIG. 11, so that the O-ring serves in the manner of a garter springfrictionally to retain the various shaft tumbler pins 32A in positionwithin their respective bores 88.

As Shown in FIGS. 3 to 7, inclusive, the combined tumbler pin extractionand pusher unit or tool 62 (which, in the interest of brevity, willhereinafter be referred to simply as the tool) is in the form of athick-walled cylindrical body 100 which has at one end thereof anenlarged head portion 102 and which contains the previously-mentionedthin flat annular magnet 64. This magnet is of the barium ferrite type.It is commonly referred to as a ceramic magnet and is fixedly held inplace by way of a so-called press fit. An annular series ofcircumferentially spaced bores 106 (see FIG. 6) extends in an axialdirection through the wall of the body 100. Such bores correspond innumber to, and serve as retainers for, the pusher pins 66 and arerestricted as at 108 at the ends thereof that intersect the end of thebody that is remote from or opposite to the enlarged head portions 102.The major portions of the pusher pins 66 project outwardly of the bores106 through the restricted ends thereof. Helical compression springs 110are disposed in a lengthwise manner in the bores 106 and serve to urgethe pusher Certain ends of the springs abut against the inner endsurface of the magnet 64 and the other ends of the springs abut againstenlarged heads on the inner ends of the pusher pins. The bores 106 andthe pusher pins 66 correspond in number and spacing to the number andspacing of the bores 88 and the shaft tumbler pins 32A, the latter, inturn, corresponding in number and spacing to the number and spacing ofthe pin-receiving bores 33 in the enlarged head 28 of the lock shaft ofthe lock assembly 10. The previously-mentioned spline 80 is formed onthe outer surface of the cylindrical body 100 of the tool 62. It extendslengthwise of said body and is shaped to fit in the channel 78 when thesmall portion of the tool is inserted into the cylindrical side wall 72of the shell 70 of the package unit 60in connection with use of the toolto eject the shaft tumbler pins 32A into the bores 33.

While the shell 70 of the package unit 60 may be formed of any suitablematerial, as heretofore mentioned, it is preferably formed oftransparent Lucite in order that the shaft tumbler pins 32A in the boresmay be visible through the shell. The shell 70 is intended to bedisposable in that it may be discarded after the new or replacementshaft tumbler pins 32A have been ejected therefrom and installed in thelock assembly 10, but under certain circumstances, it may be foundexpedient to retain the shell and install the original shaft tumblerpins 32 therein for future use in the event that it is desired torestore these original pins in the lock assembly 10 or to install themin some other similar lock assembly.

The sequential steps performed in effecting a changeover operation bymeans of the present jig assembly have been shown in FIGS. 1 to 4,inclusive. In FIG. 1, the lock assembly 10 is shown with the cap 36removed in order to expose the forward ends of the shaft tumbler pins32, the tumbler shaft pins being coded in conformity with the key 46which has been labelled Combination A. The key 48 which has beenlabelled Combination B is intended to accommodate the lock assembly 10after the replacement shaft tum'bler pins 32A of the package unit 60 ofFIG. 3 have been installed in the lock assembly.

After initial removal of the cap 36 as shown in FIG. 1, themagnet-containing front end of the tool 62 i applied to the exposed orprotruding ends of the shaft tumbler pins 32 and the latter aretransferred by magnetic attraction from the lock assembly endwise tothe'magnet 64 as shown in FIG. 2. The pins may be removed from themagnet and discarded or they may be preserved for future use if desired.

With the bores 33 in the enlarged head 28 of the lock shaft 20 now emptyby reason of the withdrawal of the shaft tumbler pins 32, the packageunit 60 is positioned as shown in FIG. 3 and the pilot post 42 of thelock assembly 10 is caused to enter the central opening 82 in the endwall 74 of the shell 70, the groove 86 and the lug 84 assuring properregistration of the replacement shaft tumbler pins 32A with the bores33. The shell 70 is pushed rearwardly so that it enters the recess 38 inthe protective washer 34 and, thereafter, the tool 62 is turnedend-for-end so that the pusher pinscontaining end thereof registers withthe front end of the shell 70 of the package unit 60. Thereafter, thetool 62 is pushed rearwardly and telescopically into the shell 70. Thespline on the tool 62 and the spline-receiving channel 78 of the shell70 assure register of the various pusher pins 66 with the adjacent endsof the replacement shaft tumbler pins 32A in the shell 70.

As shown in FIG. 4, the final step in the installation of thereplacement shaft tumbler pins 32A in the lock assembly 10 resides inforcibly pushing the tool 62 rearwardly so that the pusher pins 66 willdisplace the shaft tumbler pins 32A and force them into the bores 33 inthe enlarged head 28 of the lock shaft 20. Movement of all of the new orreplacement shaft tumbler pins 32A to their home position in the lockassembly 10 is assured by reason of the springs which allow the pusherpins to yield when the shaft tumbler pins 32A have become bottomed intheir respective bores 33.

Upon withdrawal of the tool 62 and the package unit 60 from the lockassembly, the pins 32A remain in place and the cap 36 (FIG. 1) may thenbe again installed as part of the lock assembly, and the change-overoperation is complete.

The invention is not to be limited to the exact arrangement of partsshown in the accompanying drawings or described in this specification asvarious changes in the details of construction may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore,only insofar as the invention has particularly been pointed out in theaccompanying claims is the same to be limited.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination for use with an axial pin tumbler lock assemblyhaving a lock shaft provided with a circular forward end face presentinga series of forwardly opening bores designed for reception endwisetherein of a series of replacement tumbler pins, of a two-part assemblyjig for facilitating the introduction of such replacement pins into saidbores, said assembly jig including a first part in the form of agenerally cylindrical cup-shaped shell having a relatively thick rearend wall provided with an annular series of circumferentially spacedaxially extending open-ended bores therein conforming in number anddisposition to the number and disposition of said bores in said endface, replacement tumbler pins slidably disposed in the bores in saidend wall, means yieldingly restraining the tumbler pins against freesliding movement within their respective bores, and a second part in theform of a generally cylindrical pusher tool receivable telescopicallyand endwise in said shell, said pusher tool having a circular rear endface from which there projects rearwardly a series of pusher pinscorresponding in number and disposition to the number and disposition ofthe bores in said end wall, said pusher pins being adapted for entryinto the bores in said end wall so as to engage the tumbler pins withinsaid latter bores and displace the same simultaneously and force theminto the forwardly opening bores in the end face of the lock shaft.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 and including, additionally,interengaging pilot means on said pusher tool and shell for maintainingthe pusher tool and lock shaft in axial alignment during entry of thepusher pins into said bores.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 and including, additionally,interengaging pilot means on said pusher tool and shell for maintainingthe pusher tool and shell in axial alignment during entry of the pusherpins into said bores, said pilot means including a spline connection forpreventing relative turning movement of the pusher tool and shell.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 and wherein, said lock shaft isprovided with a forwardly extending pilot stem which projects forwardlyfrom said circular forward end face centrally of the latter, said shellbeing provided with an axially and centrally disposed bore in the rearend wall thereof designed for telescopic reception over said pilot stem.

5. The combination set forth in claim 1 and wherein said lock shaft isprovided with a forwardly extending pilot stem which projects forwardlyfrom said circular forward end face centrally of the latter, said shellbeing provided with an axially and centrally disposed bore in the rearend wall thereof designed for telescopic reception over said pilot stem,said stern and bore being provided with an interengaging splineconnection to prevent relative turning movement of the lock shaft andshell.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5 and including, additonally,interengaging pilot means on said pusher tool and shell for maintainingthe pusher tool and shell in axial alignment during entry of the pusherpins into said bores.

7. The combination set forth in claim 5 and wherein said shell is formedwith an internal spline groove therein, and wherein said pusher tool isprovided with an external spline rib designed for interlockingengagement with said spline groove to prevent relative turning movementof the pusher tool and shell.

8. The combination for use with an axial pin tumbler lock assemblyhaving a lock shaft provided with a circular forward end face presentinga series of forwardly opening bores designed for reception endwisetherein of a series of replacement tumbler pins, of a two-part assemblyjig for facilitating the introduction of such replacement pins into saidbores, said assembly jig including a first part in the form of agenerally cylindrical cup-shaped shell having a relatively thick rearend wall provided with an annular series of circumferentially spacedaxially extending open-ended bores therein conforming in number anddisposition to the number and disposition of said bores in said endface, replacement tumbler pins slidably dis posed in the bores in saidend wall, means yieldingly restraining the tumbler pins against freesliding movement within their respective bores, and a second part in theform of a generally cylindrical pusher tool receivable telescopicallyand endwise in said shell, said pusher tool having a circular rear endface provided with a series of sockets therein corresponding in numberand disposition to the number and disposition of the bores in said endwall, a pusher pin slidably disposed in each of said sockets andprojecting rearwardly beyond and outwardly of aid rear end face of thepusher tool, and springs disposed in said sockets and yieldingly urgingsaid pusher pins to their projected positions.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1934 Shinrl70363 X 9/1964 Ward 7O383 X

1. THE COMBINATION FOR USE WITH AN AXIAL TUMBLER LOCK ASSEMBLY HAVING ALOCK SHAFT PROVIDED WITH A CIRCULAR FORWARD END FACE PRESENTING A SERIESOF FORWARDLY OPENING BORES DESIGNED FOR RECEPTION ENDWISE THEREIN OF ASERIES OF REPLACEMENT TUMBLER PINS, OF A TWO-PART ASSEMBLY JIG FORFACILITATING THE INTRODUCTION OF SUCH REPLACEMENT PINS INTO SAID BORES,SAID ASSEMBLY JIG INCLUDING A FIRST PART IN THE FORM OF A GENERALLYCYLINDRICAL CUP-SHAPED SHELL HAVING A RELATIVELY THICK REAR END WALLPROVIDED WITH AN ANNULAR SERIES OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED AXIALLYEXTENDING OPEN-ENDED BORES THEREIN CONFORMING IN NUMBER AND DISPOSITIONTO THE NUMBER AND DISPOSITION OF SAID BORES IN SAID END FACE,REPLACEMENT TUMBLER PINS SLIDABLY DISPOSED IN THE BORES IN SAID ENDWALL, MEANS YIELDABLY RESTRAINING THE TUMBLER PINS AGAINST FREE SLIDINGMOVEMENT